Adore them - For us - Please
by ElmarBear
Summary: Petunia Dursley is left with Harry's kids after he is forced to go and fight in a war. How will she raise them, like Harry? Or the way she should, like her own?


Just had to get this out! Wrote it on my HTC phone so I apologize for any grammer or spelling. Please read and review - reviews make my day :)

Disclaimer - Harry Potter is not mine!

This was her chance - to prove herself - redeem the terrible wrongs she did all those years ago. These children needed a home, and he was asking, she owed him this one last favour, but this time, she would get it right.

Petunia Dursley had long ago accepted her family was not normal, and decided that they were exceptional. Harry Potter, her nephew was the savior of the wizarding world and now that her husband had gone, Petunia found herself dragged in to its exiting hold. Despite little contact with Harry, she found she enjoyed shopping with witches, laughing at Quidditch and leafing through magazines with moving pictures. She kept in contact with the witches she was in hiding with and was amazed by their kindness. The wizarding world gave her a new lease of life, and she loved it.

However, Petubia Dursley was still extremely shocked to wake up one fine July morning and find four children resting outside her front door. But this time, Petunia Dursley did not shout or screan, no, she did what she should have done all those years ago with her nephew and brought the dazed children inside, wrapping them in blankets and giving them mugs of warm drinks before opening the letter the eldest silently held out to her.

She knew immediately who had written it, on the front of the thick parchment, scrawled messily in dark ink, was "Aunt Petunia", and she could see where tear drops had been smudged off the paper hurriedly before it was folded. She opened it up, almost afraid to read the letter inside.

Dear Aunt Petunia, leaving my children with you is perhaps the hardest thing I have ever done. I beg that you take them into your home and treat them well - they are innocent, do not punish them for any wrongdoings our world has brought on you - please. Teddy Remus Lupin-Potter, (7th April 2010) is bright, funny and will reward your love deeply. He is fiercely protective of James Sirius Potter (1st January 2014) who is bright but needs careful guidance, Albus Severus Potter (22nd June 2016) who is quiet and watchful, and Lily Luna Potter (15th February 2018) who is sweet and innocent, she is so young she will probably not remember us, you are the only parent she will ever look up to - please do not corrupt this trust. All four children are magical, please do not judge them because of this. Please keep my beautiful darlings safe and do not speak ill of me to them. Your bank account will always be adequately funded for the needs of the children but please do not abuse this. This is necessary for their protection, as much as I hate it. I will return one day, until then, this is your chance, prove to me and Ginny now that we are family, and prove your loyalty to Lily Evans - she will love you for this. Please always tell our darling babies that Mummy and Daddy love them so so much, and are so so proud, and tell them our story - they should always know who they are.

Best of luck, love and kind regards, Harry and Ginny Potter.

We are sorry

Love them, for us,

Thank you.

After rereading the letter, twice, Petunia folded the stiff parchment up and looked over the children quickly, yes, this time, she would get it right. Carefully she gathered a sleeping Lily in her her arms,

"come on" she said kindly to the boys, who were watching wide eyed and nervously, "let's go take our coats off, then we can have some milk and cocoa and have a nice nap" She smiled to emphasize her well meaning and felt her heart swelling as the eldest child shyly smiled back, his hair changing from brown to a deep purple. Yes, thought Petunia, this was her chance to get it right.

After this, what had been a slow paced relatively dull life sped up again. Petunia laughed more and enjoyed the company of the children, who quickly warned to her. At first she always felt and aspect of guilt when she looked at Albus, who looked so much like Harry had aged four it would have been impossible to convince someone they were not related. Soon however, as he grew in confidence this guilt began to disappear and was replaced by pride and slight smugness when his academic excellence began to emerge.

Right from the start Lily and Albus were easy enough, trusting her when they saw their parents were not coming back for them. Teddy also was reasonably easy to convince to trust her, and within a couple of months hung on her every word - almost begging to please her.

James however was a bit of a sticking point. He was six when he first arrived, with a bit of an attitude. He wanted just about everything he saw and could never sit still. He was always annoying his brother's or poking Lily, and he never, ever did what Petunia asked. Her friends assured her he was just adjusting, and took it out on her because it was only when she had come in to his life that his parents had left. Even when he settled down and began calling her Nana like his siblings did, it took Petunia three or four years to feel completely at ease asking the boy to do things.

In contrast Lily was the easiest, like Teddy she loved her Nana, hanging on her every word. She was a perfect child in Petunia's eyes, no fuss, and she could entertain herself for hours if Petunia was having trouble with James

The first problem Petunia encountered was where the children were going to sleep, - it was a four bedroom house on private drive and now there was five of them. At first Lily slept in a crib in her room with Teddy in Harry's old room, Albus in Dudleys and James in the old spare bedroom. Soon Petunia had and extension built on the back of the house, it took six months to complete and the dust and noise aggravated her to no end. But when it was done the improvement was massive. Downstairs the kitchen had been extended making a larger living area where a larger table could fit easily leaving more room for the children to play nearby when Petunia was cooking or cleaning. Lily's new room upstairs was the smallest bedroom in the house but the small girl didn't seem to notice and demanded instead that it was painted purple, with flowers. Petunia laughed at this remembering her sisters bedroom when they were young and happily obliged, picking the perfect white furniture and carpet to complement the lilac walls. After this of course the boys wanted their own rooms painting too so remembering her promise Petunia left little Lily with a friend and took them all shopping for paint.

Predictably Teddy chose a bright turquoise, the same colour he made his hair when he was at home, whilst James chose Red and Gold, demanding red walls and gold door, just to be tricky. Petunia did wonder about the significance of these colours and supposed that they were something to do with Hogwarts, which the children would attend when they turned eleven, an event looming scarily close for Teddy, for it was already April and his eleventh birthday. Albus however was more muted in the colours he chose, going instead for a dark green and dark blue, which complemented each other nicely in his room.

Finally everything was running smoothly, Teddy and James attended the nearby primary school whilst Albus and Lily went to a preschool and nursery slightly further away. The boys attended everyday but Lily only went three days a week to give Petunia a rest and allow her to whizz round the house and clean it without the children messing it up straight away.

One day Teddy began asking her about Hogwarts and much to her dismay Petunia couldn't answer most of his questions leaving him confused and worried about the coming school year. To the delight of both of them however a package wrapped in brown paper arrived the next morning by owl addressed to "Teddy Remus Lupin-Potter" that turned out to be a book entitled "Hogwarts a History" which Teddy devoured and Petunia flicked through whilst he was at school, anxious to learn more about the school where the child she had come to love dearly would be going to school the next year. She wasnt surprised to find that the colours James had chosen for his room were the colours of Gryffindor, the house of the brave and noble, and she recognized this as the house Harry had been in years ago. Anxious to give Lily some magical knowledge she took to reading the book to Lily on the days she was at home.  
The very first day of summer was the day the letter came for Teddy, inviting him to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The children had been living with Petunia almost a year and when Albus came trotting through to the kitchen with it one morning and Teddy squealed and leapt off his seat, running around the kitchen wildly in exitment and wonder, his hair turning bright pink with excitement. When he finally calmed down enough to read it breakfast was cold but nobody cared - Teddy was going to Hogwarts!

That summer went by in a flash for Petunia, Lily was three, Albus had just turned five and James was seven so they all came to Diagon alley with her. It was a sunny day and she had Lily and Albus in a buggy side by side, the first thing they did was visit a vault where Teddy had money from both his real parents and Harry and Ginny. They then used this money to buy him a wand (10 and 3/4 inches elm with a dragon heartstring core) all his books, a broom (for apparently first years could have brooms now) and after much consideration two owls, one for Teddy and one for Petunia, so she could send stuff from home.

"Nana's owl!" Proclaimed Lily proudly, grinning through pearly white baby teeth at the barn owl, who blinked a reply and turned away, bored. Teddy's owl was a stunner however, jet black with hawk like yellow eyes which watched every move with a glint and a tilt of the head. The family then went for ice cream which Petunia politely declined but bought each of the children an chocolate oyster for behaving so well all morning.

It was September the first however that was the hardest for Petunia. She sniffed all the way to the train station and although Teddy comforted and promised to send letters with Ookie, his new owl she couldnt help but be upset. She had never visited the platform before and it was marvelous, but this didn't stop Albus or Lily crying when Teddy said goodbye, she could see James was trying quite hard to hold himself together as well at Today's parting words

"You're the man of the house now little brother" - despite his upset James managed a grin and Petunia thanked the Lord that Teddy was such a mature eleven year old.

She took him aside for one last hug before he got on the train and as she held on to him she looked over his shoulder, for standing in the distance, way up the platform, was a tall man with glasses and black hair - he appeared to be watching them. Petunia blinked in suprise - then he was gone.

As she stepped back from Teddy he changed his eyes green like his father's and his hair to his favourite turquoise blue - grinning at Petunias eye roll before quickly kissing her on the cheek and leaping on to the train.

Standing back beside the others Petunia scooped Lily up into her arms and kissed the top of her little red head as she heard the whistles blow

"Good luck my boy" she whispered, then smiled and waved to Teddy, who had appeared in a carriage as the train pulled away.

After the train had gone she bundled together Albus, Lily and James and began to lead them off the platform, aware she was getting some slightly strange looks from the other witches and wizards. As she was getting a taxi from kings cross she again spotted a man with untamable black hair in the distance, this time holding hands with a red haired woman but again as she went to get a closer look they disappeared into the swift footed crowds.

Back at home the house seemed empty as she let James out after supper to play with his friends at the park, the boy was ever so popular, and gave Lily and Albus a bath, trying without success to comb down Albus's jet black hair in a presentable fashion, whilst at he peered at her from under his fringe with big green eyes before grinning and magically splashing her frock with soapy bath water. Sighing she admitted defeat hooked him out of the bath, wrapped him in a big towel and dried him off, tickling him as she pulled on his pyjamas and sent him to bed, giving him a customary kiss and hug before turning his lights out.  
Lily was already asleep in her cot with her bum in the air so Petunia left her be and went downstairs to let the owl, affectionately named Daffy by Lily, out to hunt and imagined what Teddy was doing - probably eating she decided, for they had read in the Hogwarts book that there was a massive feast at the start of term.

James came running in at seven thirty, as promised, with muddy hands and knees so she whipped the worst offending clothes off him for a wash and sent him upstairs for a shower. He grumbled and protested but she reminded him that school began again the next day and he didn't want to turn up looking like an earthworm so he stomped off dragging his feet to have a shower. She heard the shower going upstairs, then stop, and was just preparing lunch for him and Albus the next day when he bundled back in to the kitchen in pyjamas to give her a quick hug. She kissed his wet curly hair and smoothed it down then he grabbed part of a broken cookie from the side and grinned at her before running up to bed.

The first letter came from Teddy the next day whilst the others were at school -

Dear Aunt Petunia, Hogwarts is amazing! I ate so much at the feast last night that I felt sick but still ate breakfast thismorning anyway. I got placed in Hufflepuff - the friendliest house and there are lots of nice boys in my dorm. One of them, Jack, is a keen photographer and took this picture of us all last night. Tell James the beds are comfy and Lily and Albus that I say hi. We have today off so we are exploring the castle,

Love Teddy -

P.S send sweets at Halloween!

The picture was of him sitting with six other boys, they were all wearing Hufflepuff yellow and black scarfs and Teddy had changed his hair bright yellow to match. Petunia wondered how long that would last.

Smiling she scribbled out a response and sent it back with Ookie, pleased Teddy was doing so well.

Over the next year life was still busy - it was easier with only the three of them and she continued to slowly gain James's trust whilst Albus and Lily blossomed. She was pleased to hear that Teddy was doing well in Quidditch and hoped to join the team next year and that his best friend was Jack, an athletic boy with a passion for photography and nature. Teddy was also doing well academically, where he wasn't top of the class but kept up good marks. Teddy, it turned out, was also very good at care of magical creatures and often him and Jack would stay and help Hagrid the gamekeeper after lessons. He never spoke of Harry or Ginny in his letters, and Petunia gathered that Hogwarts had taken his mind off them, he rarely seemed to miss them anymore.

Through these letters, Petunia also learned that there was still a war in the wizarding world - Teddy would often send back old newspaper cuttings talking about progress and land lost. It appeared to be taking place in South America, where Voldemorts followers fled after the original war, and remained in hiding for many years. Now they were trying to build an army - and find a way to resurrect their leader.

This didn't worry Petunia too much - it didn't affect her and it wasn't being reported on muggle news, so the damge can't have been too bad.

It was weird just having Teddy home for summer again, for he opted to stay at Hogwarts for the other holidays. He missed his siblings but was enjoying the company of his friends. Petunia sent his christmas presents, a quilt made of brightly coloured squares, a magical candle she found in diagon alley for him, that had different Quidditch players hovering in the flame doing tricks, and a bag of fudge with Daffy, who was only too pleased to have something to do.

Four years passed in the blink of an eye - and suddenly it was James's turn to go. Teddy had just entered fourth year, he rarely got in to trouble and had a knack for getting out of awkward situations. Along with his new ferret, Tails, James was sorted into Gryffindor, and although he saw Teddy, Petunia could tell from his letters that they were not close. James turned out to be in a year with two of his cousins, Fred Weasley and Louis Weasley, who he became firm friends with straight away. Together the three boys caused more trouble in one year than Teddy had in four and Petunia became increasingly frustrated that he would not do his homework and behave normally. It was only the threat of being brought home at Christmas and grounded that persuaded James to behave a little better - but he was never perfect. James, like his brother turned out to be excellent at quiddditch and they both made their house teams in their second years, Teddy playing Hufflepuff beater whilst James played Gryffindor chaser.

When Albus started two years after that he was sorted into Ravenclaw, but there were no surprises there. Petunia had worried more about Albus than either of the other boys so when he wrote back to say he was happy and had a best friend Petunia was over the moon. Said best friend turned out to be a Scorpius Malfoy who James did not approve of but he came over the first Christmas and Petunia found him to be a pleasant young man with good manners and nice clothes. After this she mailed James and persuaded him to stop being so hard on him. Albus, again a Quidditch whizz, Petunia supposed it was a Potter thing also made the team in his second year, playing seeker for Ravenclaw and much to James's annoyance winning them the Quidditch cup. Albus, like his brother's, asked for a pet and got a small white cat with green eyes called Gem, whilst all three of them shared Ookie to mail stuff home. It was in Albus's second year that Petunia learnt that the war had finally ended, yet there was no sign of the leading forces in the war, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and Ginny Potter. Four top class aurors who had been working behind enemy lines.

The summer holiday after Albus's second year was mad. All three boys were home with their animals, and Lily had another owl, a snowy owl called Pal, who would go to Hogwarts with her next year. All three boys had grown massively and Teddy and James were both taller than Petunia. Teddy was over the moon because he was due to become assistant gamekeeper so was getting to live in the castle throughout the school year. He had done very well in his exams but felt his calling was in care of magical creatures. The house felt very full and friends were always coming and going. Yet for once Petunia didnt mind, this was the last time the house would be this busy, she was going to miss the children when they were gone and she sdly realised that this was going to be the first time she had lived alone in years. Despite the knowledge their parents were missing it was never discussed. Lily and Albus had no memories at all of their parents and James's were vaige and uncertain. Even Teddy admitted to Petunia one night he couldn't remember their faces, only Harry's voice, and that although he loved them, he barely thought about them anymore.

The day Lily started was a sad day for Petunia, she waved the four children off on the train with a smile but then she wept. A kindly lady in the station comforted her for a while before she made her own way home. The house felt desperately empty without Lily, who Petunia had become very close to in the two years they had spent with just the two of them. Petunia was old now, 65, and she could feel it. She had been a fit woman but the years with three toddlers had worn her down.

Lily, too everyone's suprise was sorted into Slytherin, but in the first letters home stated she didn't mind and appeared to make good friends. She, like Albus turned out to be very bright and was top of just about everything.

The calm after the storm turned out to be quite pleasant for Petunia, she found she had lots of time to shop for Christmas presents and birthday presents for the coming year. For Christmas Lily got the customary first year quilt, Teddy, fudge and a broom servicing kit, James, a book on how to study, and two way mirrors for him and his friends, and Albus, a couple of books he had requested especially. After wrapping the presebts, Petunia waited till all three owls were present and then sent it as one large package, the kids could work it out at the other end.

It was after doing this that Petunia stepped back from the window and surveyed her living room. Unlike before, where pictures of one child had filled the room, there were many children. Most of the ones of Teddy were ones he had sent from school which she had framed but the pictures of the others were ones she had taken herself. James on the beach, Albus at the zoo, Lily's sleepover party with her muggle friends. Then the three of them in a pillar box, and all four of them in the living room that first christmas, holding new presents and grinning widely.

Finally one Lily had sent from school just recently, it was a moving picture, of just the four of them, Teddy was on the far left, in a large barbour jacket, looking every inch the gamekeeper with his hair changing from Blue to Pink and back, with an arm round Lily's shoulders, her flaming red hair gathered back and her hazel eyes happy. Next was Albus, who's hair was as long as Harry's in his fourth year and just as wild. His square glasses askew and his green eyes smiling as he put an arm round both Lily, and James who was next to him, dark curly hair as bad as Albus's and deep brown eyes full of mischief. His shirt was untucked and his collar undone and like his siblings he was laughing, all four of them were laughing and laughing, and they were so perfectly happy and healthy that Petunia knew, she knew with her whole heart, that this time, she had got it right.

Thank you for reading to the end! If there is enough positie feedback i will try another chapter! No promises though. Please please please review!

EB xxxx :)

P.S Review!


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